Why Steve Kerr’s new 2-year contract is the right move for the Warriors

The only correct pathway for the Golden State Warriors was bringing back Steve Kerr.

Amid the turbulence of their fading dynasty, the end of Stephen Curry’s legendary career, and questions about the long-term direction of the Warriors franchise, the only way forward was to bring back the coach that’s led them to this point.

It’s no secret that both sides have had their qualms about how the last couple of years have gone. Whether it was the misalignment on Jonathan Kuminga’s role and the two timelines plan or philosophical differences regarding the Dubs’ style of play, there was real friction between Kerr and the decision-makers in Golden State.

But given how the Warriors are staring at an abyss of uncertainty and instability as their golden run nears its end, what was the alternative?

With no real succession plan in place and no candidates in the wind that come close to Kerr’s resume and capabilities, there was no world where the Warriors would have been better off letting the coach who guided them to four championships ride into the sunset.

That’s not to say Kerr was a default option born from the corner Golden State finds itself in as they near a transitional period. Despite mixed results over the last couple of years, Kerr remains the sharp tactician and savvy personality manager that made him the fourth-fastest coach in NBA history to reach 600 wins.

Look at the 2025 first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets. For all of Curry and Butler’s brilliance against Houston’s young and athletic pitbulls, that series was won through coaching.

Look at what he extracted out of this roster this last year when Curry and Butler went down in January. Leaps from Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos and a play-in victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Look at how he managed Draymond Green this past season. With Green on the decline, on a mediocre roster with no championship chances, Kerr helped him through what many great players describe as the most difficult point in their careers– the fall off.

And the fall off is coming for Golden State. No one is more painfully aware of that than they are.

Steve Kerr connects the Warriors’ most important voices

There are still real questions that Kerr and the Warriors have to answer going into next season.

They have a decision to make with the lottery pick that they’ll soon know the placement of– whether it’s drafting an asset for the future or dealing it for a player for the present.

And they also have to solve some of the offensive issues that plagued them this season, especially with where Curry is health-wise at this stage in their career. Not to mention the numerous free agency question marks, from Green’s player option, to retaining Kristaps Porzingis and the search for a potential co-star.

Regardless, it’s good business to retain the man who has strong interpersonal relationships with your most important voices in the franchise.

Curry said it himself after their play-in elimination: “I want Coach to be happy. I want him to be excited about the job. I want him to believe he’s the right guy for the job.”

Green made it clear that he didn’t even want to think about the possibility of not playing for Kerr. General manager Mike Dunleavy has repeated it whenever given the opportunity– the two remain aligned on the direction of this team and roster.

And with owner Joe Lacob inking Kerr to a two-year deal and keeping him as the highest-paid coach in the league, it’s clear the multiple meetings they’ve had over the past three weeks have put them in a good place moving forward.

Kerr is precisely the kind of unifying voice you want when the chips are down. And by all means, the chips are coming down soon.

The gift of stability in tumultuous times

But even on the most basic of levels, Kerr is the kind of person you want at the forefront of your franchise. There’s something to be said about having a head coach that the media holds in the highest respect. There’s something important about having a guy who can eloquently explain the day-to-day challenges of an NBA team, and on occasion the world at large, in his sleep.

Kerr brings a class and respectability that few have and is hard to earn. The benefit of the doubt is always afforded to someone with the character of Kerr, and that goes a long way in managing the external pressure that’s part of the Warriors’ equation.

Thus, the Warriors retain one of the most slept-on attributes in the NBA: stability. And with Kerr’s two-year deal, Golden State has a little bit of a runway here in their twilight years.

Curry enters the 2026-27 season on the final year of his contract and has expressed a desire to keep playing beyond that. Having Kerr locked up will be part of the equation in convincing him to extend with Golden State for what looks to be a potential farewell tour.

Regardless, the Warriors know where they stand on the NBA hierarchy. If not, Charles Barkley made that clear on ESPN’s Inside the NBA. Their time in the sun is all but gone, and their paths to contention are narrow.

Now it’s about going into that sunset with dignity and fight. To relive the glory days as they did in the play-in win over the Los Angeles Clippers. To play meaningful basketball, as Curry says so often.

There’s no coach better equipped to help ride into the sunset than Steve Kerr.

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